The present invention relates to polyoxyalkylene polyols or monools having the proportion of terminal primary hydroxyl groups of not less than 40%; to a method of preparing ring-opening polymerization products by ring-opening addition polymerization of a heterocyclic compound; and to polyol compositions for use as polyol components for polyurethane resins, epoxy resins and like thermosetting resins. More particularly, it relates to polyoxyalkylene polyols having increased reactivity with isocyanato groups or the like without impairing their hydrophobicity; to a method of effecting ring-opening polymerization of cyclic compounds in the presence of a specific catalyst; and to the use of said compounds as polyol components for thermosetting resins.
Polyols such as polyoxyalkylene polyols obtained by ring-opening reaction of a monoepoxide, such as an alkylene oxide, with an active hydrogen-containing compound are in wide use as starting materials for thermosetting resins such as polyurethanes, as surfactants, as lubricants and in other fields of application.
The method so far widely used for the production of polyethers comprises reacting a monoepoxide in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. Used as the alkaline catalyst are alkali metal compounds such as potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. As an alternative, the method is also known which comprises carrying out the reaction of a monoepoxide using a BF3 complex, zinc hexacyanocobaltate or a like composite metal cyanide complex as the catalyst.
Polyoxyalkylene polyols obtained by ring-opening reaction of an xcex1,xcex2-epoxides such as propylene oxide, epichlorohydrin, styrene oxide or laurylene oxide in the presence of such catalyst have very low proportion of terminal primary hydroxyl groups (generally not more than 2% when potassium hydroxide is used, for instance), most of the terminal hydroxyl groups being secondary hydroxyl groups. Therefore, such polyols have insufficient reactivity for use as polyol components for thermosetting resins. For example, they have low reactivity with isocyanate groups in isocyanate-containing compounds (tolylene diisocyanate etc.) and have insufficient reactivity when they are used as polyol components for urethane resins.
For securing sufficient reactivity with isocyanate groups, the terminal hydroxyl groups is required to be primary hydroxyl groups. For this purpose, a method is known which comprises performing ring-opening reaction of alkylene oxides to obtain polyoxyalkylene polyols, and then subjecting ethylene oxide to ring-opening reaction therewith, thus generating terminal primary hydroxyl groups. However, since the polyethylene oxide portions are hydrophilic, such method reduces the hydrophobicity of polyoxyalkylene polyols. When such polyols are used, there arises a problem in that the physical and other characteristics of the resulting urethane resins vary widely depending on humidity.
On the other hand, for ring-opening polymerization of carbonates, thiocarbonates, dithiocarbonates and like cyclic compounds, a method has been used which comprises effecting ring-opening polymerization in the presence of an acid catalyst such as BF3.
However, this method of producing ring-opening polymerization products, which comprises effecting ring-opening polymerization of carbonates, thiocarbonates, dithiocarbonates and like cyclic compounds in the presence of such a catalyst, has a problem in that carbon dioxide, carbon oxide sulfide, carbon disulfide or the like is eliminated during ring-opening addition polymerization of such cyclic compounds, leading to low yields of the ring-opening polymerization products derived from the cyclic compounds. In addition, in the step of ring-opening polymerization, such a catalyst must be used in an amount almost equivalent to growing chain terminals, so that a large quantity of the catalyst remains in the polymers produced. In certain fields of application of the ring-opening polymerization products thus obtained, the residual catalyst has significant adverse effects, hence it is necessary to remove the catalyst by treatment following the ring-opening polymerization.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention has its object to provide polyol compositions having sufficient reactivity for use as materials for thermosetting resins without impairing the hydrophobicity of polyoxyalkylene polyols; polyoxyalkylene polyols suited for use in this polyol compositions; a method of producing this polyoxyalkylene polyols; and a method of producing ring-opening polymerization products by subjecting a cyclic compound to ring-opening addition polymerization in the presence of a specific catalyst.
The present inventors made intensive investigations in an attempt to solve the above problems and, as a result, found that:
(1) polyoxyalkylene polyols having the proportion of terminal primary hydroxyl groups of not less than 40% have sufficient reactivity as polyol components for thermosetting resins while retaining the hydrophobicity thereof;
(2) such polyoxyalkylene polyols having the proportion of terminal primary hydroxyl groups of not less than 40% can be obtained by adding an epoxy containing compound to an active hydrogen-containing compound in the presence of a catalyst having a specific chemical structure and;
(3) the yield is very high when a cyclic compound is subjected to ring-opening addition polymerization in the presence of a specific catalyst. These findings have now led to completion of the present invention.
Thus, the present invention consists in polyoxyalkylene polyols or monools (I) of the general formula (1) below, characterized in that not less than 40% of the terminally located hydroxyl-containing groups, namely xe2x80x94AOxe2x80x94H groups, are primary hydroxyl-containing groups of the general formula (2) below:
R1xe2x80x94[xe2x80x94(ZO)pxe2x80x94(AO)qxe2x80x94H]m(1)

wherein:
in the formula (1), R1 is a group having a valence of m as derived from a compound selected from the group consisting of water, an alcohol compound, a phenol compound, an amino-containing compound, a carboxyl-containing compound, a thiol-containing compound and a phosphoric acid compound by removal of its active hydrogen atom or atoms; Z is an alkylene group containing 2 to 12 carbon atoms or a cycloalkylene group containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms, each of which may contain at least one halogen atom or aryl group or both as substituents; A is an alkylene group containing 3 to 12 carbon atoms or a cycloalkylene group containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms, each of which may contain at least one halogen atom or aryl group or both as substituents; m is an integer of 1 or 2 to 100; p is an integer of 0 or 1 or more and q is an integer of 1 or more, p+q being equal to 1 to 200; and in the formula (2), R2 is an alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an aryl group containing 6 to 10 carbon atoms, each of which may be substituted by a halogen atom or atoms.
The present invention also consists in a method of producing ring-opening polymerization products, which comprises subjecting a heterocyclic compound (d) of the general formula (5) below to ring-opening addition polymerization with an active hydrogen-containing compound (b) of the general formula (3) below in the presence of at least one catalyst (c) selected from the group consisting of compounds having the general formula (4-1) below, compounds of the general formula (4-2) below and compounds of the general formula (4-3) below:
R1xe2x80x94[xe2x80x94(ZO)pxe2x80x94H]mxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(3)
Xxe2x80x94(xe2x80x94R3)2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(4-1)

wherein:
in the formula (3), R1 is a group having a valence of m as derived from a compound selected from the group consisting of water, an alcohol compound, a phenol compound, an amino-containing compound, a carboxyl-containing compound, a thiol-containing compound and a phosphoric acid compound by removal of its active hydrogen atom or atoms; Z is an alkylene group containing 2 to 12 carbon atoms or a cycloalkylene group containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms, each of which may contain at least one halogen atom or aryl group or both as substituents; m is an integer of 1 or 2 to 100; and p is an integer of 0 or 1 to 199;
in each of the formulae (4-1), (4-2) and (4-3), X represents a boron atom or aluminum atom; F represents a fluorine atom; and R3 represents a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group of the general formula (6) below and/or a tertiary alkyl group of the general formula (7) below; 
wherein, in the formula (6), Y represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a vitro group or a cyano group; and k represents an integer of 0 to 5, provided that when k is 2 or more, a plurality of Y groups may be the same or different; 
wherein R1 R5 and R6 each independently represents an alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms and when there are a plurality of R1 groups, they may be the same or different.
in the formula (5), R is an alkylene group containing 3 to 12 carbon atoms, which may contain at least one halogen atom or aryl group or both as substituents; Q is a divalent organic group selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94O(CO)Oxe2x80x94, S(CO)Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94O(CS)Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94O(CO) Sxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94O(CS)Sxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94S(CS)Oxe2x80x94xe2x80x94S(CO)Sxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94S(CO)Sxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94COOxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94CSOxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94COSxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94CSSxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94CONNxe2x80x94 and xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90C(xe2x80x94R7)xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94in which R7 represents an alkyl group containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, which may be substituted by an alkyl group, or an aryl group containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, which may be substituted by a halogen atom.
The present invention further consists in:
polyol compositions (III) for the production of thermosetting resins, which comprise the above polyoxyalkylene polyols or monools (I);
ring-opening polymerization products produced by the production method mentioned above;
in particular, polyol compositions (II) for the production of thermosetting resins, which comprise said ring-opening polymerization products, and;
a method of producing polyurethane resins by reacting polyol components and polyisocyanates (e) in which said polyol compositions (II) or (III) are used as the polyol components.
According to its first aspect, the present invention is concerned with polyoxyalkylene polyols or monools (I) of the above general formula (1), in which not less than 40% of terminally located hydroxyl-containing groups, namely xe2x80x94AOxe2x80x94H groups, are primary hydroxyl-containing groups of the above general formula (2).
In the formula (1), R1 is a group having a valence of m as derived from a compound selected from the group consisting of water, an alcohol compound, a phenol compound, an amino-containing compound, a carboxyl-containing compound, a thiol-containing compound and a phosphoric acid compound by removal of its active hydrogen atom or atoms, and m is an integer of 1 (monools) or 2 to 100 (polyols).
R1 may be a group derived from a compound (a) having m active hydrogen atoms) by removal of said active hydrogen atom(s). As such compound (a), there may be mentioned for example hydroxyl-containing compounds, amino-containing compounds, carboxyl-containing compounds, thiol-containing compounds, phosphoric acid compounds; compounds having two or more active hydrogen-containing functional groups within one molecule; and mixtures of two or more of these compounds.
As said hydroxyl-containing compounds, there may be mentioned, among others, water, monohydric alcohols, polyhydric (dihydric to octahydric) alcohols, phenols and polyphenols. More specifically, there may be mentioned monohydric alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, butanol and octanol; dihydric alcohols such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,1-butylene glycol, 1,1-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 3-methylpentanediol, diethylene glycol, neopentyl glycol, 1,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)cyclohexane, 1,4-bis(hydroxyethyl)benzene and 2,2-bis(4,4xe2x80x2-hydroxycyclohexyl)propane; trihydric alcohols such as glycerol and trimethylolpropane; tetra- to octa-hydric alcohols such as pentaerythritol, diglycerol, xcex1-methylglucoside, sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, dipentaerythritol, glucose, fructose and sucrose; phenols such as phenol and cresol; polyphenols such as pyrogallol, catechol and hydroquinone; bisphenols such as bisphenol A, bisphenol F and bisphenol S; polybutadiene polyols; castor oil-derived polyols; and polyfunctional polyols (e.g. with two to 100 functional groups) such as hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate (co)polymers and poly vinyl alcohol)s, among others.
As said amino-containing compounds, there may be mentioned, for example, amines, polyamines, amino alcohols and the like. More specifically, there may be mentioned ammonia; monoamines such as alkylamines containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms (e.g., butylamine) and aniline; aliphatic polyamines such as ethylenediamine, trimethylenediamine, hexamethylenediamine and diethylenetriamine; heterocyclic polyamines such as piperazine and N-aminoethylpiperazine; alicyclic polyamines such as dicyclohexylmethanediamine and isophoronediamine; aromatic polyamines such as phenylenediamine, tolylenediamine, diethyltolylenediamine, xylylenediamine, diphenylmethanediamine, diphenyl ether diamine and polyphenylmethanepolyamine; alkanolamines such as monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine and triisopropanolamine; polyamide polyamines obtained by condensation of a dicarboxylic acid and an excess of a polyamine; polyether polyamines; hydrazines (hydrazine, monoalkylhydrazines, etc.), dihydrazides (succinic dihydrazide, adipic dihydrazide, isophthalic dihydrazide, terephthalic dihydrazide, etc.), guanidines (butylguanidine, 1-cyanoguanidine, etc.); dicyandiamide and the like; and mixtures of two or more of these.
As said carboxyl-containing compounds, there may be mentioned aliphatic monocarboxylic acids such as acetic acid and propionic acid; aromatic monocarboxylic acids such as benzoic acid; aliphatic polycarboxylic acids such as succinic acid and adipic acid; aromatic polycarboxylic acids such as phthalic acid, terephthalic acid and trimellitic acid; and polycarboxylic acid polymers (with 2 to 100 functional groups) such as acrylic acid (co)polymers, among others.
As said thiol-containing compounds, typically polythiol compounds, there may be mentioned, among others, divalent to octavalent polythiols. More specifically, there may be mentioned ethylene dithiol, propylene dithiol, 1,3-butylene dithiol, 1,4-butanedithiol, 1,6-hexanedithiol, 3-methylpentanedithiol and the like.
As said phosphoric acid compounds, there may be mentioned phosphoric acid, phosphorous acid and phosphoric acids.
Among these active hydrogen-containing compounds (a), hydroxyl-containing compounds, amino-containing compounds and water are preferred, among which alcohols and amines are more preferred.
In the above formula (1), Z is an alkylene group containing 2 to 12 carbon atoms or a cycloalkylene group containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms, and may contain at least one halogen atom or aryl group or both as substituents. More specifically, there may be mentioned, among others, ethylene, propylene, butylene, chloropropylene bromopropylene, laurylene, phenylethylene, chlorophenylethylene, 1,1-cyclohexylene and the like, and combinations of two or more of these. Preferred among them are propylene, butylene and ethylene groups and particularly preferred are propylene and butylene groups. When consideration is given to the maintenance of the hydrophobicity of the product polyoxyalkylene polyols or monools (I), the use of propylene, butylene or the like group or the combined use of ethylene and another alkylene group is recommended.
In the above formula (1), A is an alkylene group containing 3 to 12 carbon atoms or a cycloalkylene group containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms, and may contain at least one halogen atom or aryl group or both as substituents. More specifically, there may be mentioned for example propylene, butylene, chloropropylene, bromopropylene, laurylene, phenylethylene, chlorophenylethylene, 1,2-cyclohexylene and the like, and combinations of two or more of these. When ethylene group is used, it is preferably used in combination with another alkylene group from the viewpoint of the hydrophobicity of the resulting polyoxyalkylene polyols or monools (I).
In the present invention, the xe2x80x94AOxe2x80x94H groups, which are terminally located hydroxyl-containing groups among groups of xe2x80x94(AO)qxe2x80x94H in the above general formula (1), include two types, namely primary hydroxyl-containing groups of the above general formula (2) and secondary hydroxyl-containing groups of the general formula (2xe2x80x2) given below. The polyoxyalkylene polyols or monools (I) according to the first aspect of the present invention are characterized in that the content of the primary hydroxyl-containing groups of the above general formula (2) is not less than 40% preferably not less than 60%, relative to the total sum of terminal hydroxyl groups in the polyoxyalkylene polyols or monools (I). 
In the above formulae (2) and (2xe2x80x2), R2 represents an alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an aryl group containing 6 to 10 carbon atoms, each of which may be substituted by a halogen atom or atoms. More specifically, there may be mentioned for example linear alkyl groups such as methyl, ethyl and propyl; branched alkyl groups such as isopropyl; phenyl and substituted phenyl groups such as p-methylphenyl; substituted alkyl groups such as chloromethyl, bromomethyl, chloroethyl and bromoethyl; substituted phenyl groups such as p-chlorophenyl and p-bromophenyl, and combinations of two or more of these.
The subscript p is an integer of 0 or 1 or more, and q is an integer of 1 or more, the sum p+q being 1 to 200. Generally, p is an integer of 0 to 199, preferably 0 to 100, q is generally an integer of 1 to 200, preferably 1 to 100, and p+q is preferably 1 to 100.
The polyoxyalkylene polyols or monools (I) of the present invention generally have a number average molecular weight of 400 to 100,000, preferably 400 to 20,000. This molecular weight is adequately selected according to the field of use, for example according to the physical characteristics required of thermosetting resins such as polyurethane resins to be produced therefrom.
As specific examples of the polyoxyalkylene polyols (I-1) or monools (I-2), there may be mentioned for example water-derived propylene oxide adducts, methanol derived propylene oxide adducts, glycerol-derived propylene oxide adducts, ammonia-derived propylene oxide adducts, water-derived butylene oxide adduct-derived propylene oxide adducts, methanol-derived butylene oxide adduct-derived propylene oxide adducts, glycerol-derived butylene oxide adduct-derived propylene oxide adducts, ammonia-derived butylene oxide adduct-derived propylene oxide adducts, and the like.
As mentioned hereinabove, the proportion of primary hydroxyl-containing groups of the above general formula (2) relative to the total hydroxyl groups located terminally in the polyoxyalkylene polyols or monools (I) of the present invention (in the present specification, said proportion is also referred to as xe2x80x9cproportion of terminal primary hydroxyl groupsxe2x80x9d) is not less than 40% When it is less than 40%, the reactivity is insufficient for use as polyol components. Preferably, said proportion is not less than 60%. This proportion of terminal primary hydroxyl groups is calculated based on the data obtained by 1H-NMR measurement following pretreatment of the sample, i.e. esterification.
An example of said 1H-NMR measurement is specifically described in the following.
Sample preparation
About 30 mg of the sample is weighed in a sample tube for NMR with 5-mm diameter, and about 0.5 ml of deuterated solvent is added to dissolve the sample. Then, about 0.1 ml of trifluoroacetic anhydride is added and the resulting solution is used as a sample for analysis. Said deuterated solvent is, for example, deuterated chloroform, deuterated toluene, deuterated dimethyl sulfoxide, deuterated dimethylformamide or the like and a suitable one is selected so that the sample can be dissolved therein.
NMR measurement
Their 1H-NMR measurements are carried out under ordinary conditions.
Calculation of the proportion of terminal primary hydroxyl groups
Upon the above-mentioned pretreatment, the terminal hydroxyl groups of the sample polyoxyalkylene polyol react with the trifluoroacetic anhydride added to form trifluoroacetate ester derivatives. As a result, a signal from a primary hydroxyl-bound methylene group is observed at about 4.3 ppm while a secondary hydroxyl-bound methylene group gives a signal at about 5.2 ppm. The proportion of terminal primary hydroxyl groups is calculated according to the equation below:
Proportion of terminal primary hydroxyl groups (%)=[a+2xc3x97b)]xc3x97100
wherein a is the integral value for the signal at about 4.3 ppm from primary hydroxyl-bound methylene groups; and b is the integral value for the signal at about 5.2 ppm from secondary hydroxyl-bound methylene groups.
The active hydrogen-containing compound (b) to be used in the method of producing ring-opening polymerization products according to the present invention is represented by the above general formula (3). In the general formula (3), R1 is as defined above and, as examples thereof, those mentioned above can be recited.
In the general formula (3), Z is an alkylene group containing 2 to 12 carbon atoms or a cycloalkylene group containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms and may contain at least one halogen atom or aryl group or both as substituents. As for Z, too, those recited above may be mentioned as examples thereof.
In the formula (3), p is an integer of 0 or 1 to 199, preferably an integer of 0 to 100. And m is an integer of 1 or 2 to 100.
As specific examples of the active hydrogen-containing compound (b) in which p is 0, there may be mentioned for instance the same ones as recited above in relation to the first aspect of the present invention, as the compound (a) having m active hydrogen(s).
When p is 1 or more, there may be mentioned, among others, compounds derived from said compound in which p is 0, namely the compound (a) having m active hydrogen atoms, by addition reaction of an alkylene oxide containing 2 to 12 carbon atoms; for example addition products of propylene oxide, butylene oxide or the like to hydroxyl-containing compounds, amino-containing compounds and the like. As specific examples, there may be mentioned water-derived propylene oxide adducts (polyoxypropylene glycol), methanol-derived propylene oxide adducts, glycerol-derived propylene oxide adducts, water-derived butylene oxide adducts, methanol-derived butylene oxide adducts, glycerol-derived butylene oxide adducts, ammonia-derived propylene oxide adducts and ammonia-derived butylene oxide adducts, among others.
Said catalyst (c) is a compound represented by either the above general formula (4-1), (4-2) or (4-3). This catalyst can be used for ring-opening addition polymerization of cyclic ether compounds, carbonates, dithiocarbonates and like heterocyclic compounds, to thereby obtain ring-opening polymerization products in good yields. In particular this can be used for ring-opening addition polymerization of epoxy-containing compounds, thus obtaining polyoxyalkylene polyols with high proportion of terminal primary hydroxyl groups, which has so far never been attained.
In each of the above formulae (4-1), (4-2) and (4-3), X represents a boron atom or aluminum atom and is preferably a boron atom.
In formulae (4-1), (4-2) and (4-3), R3 represents the substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group of the above general formula (6) or the tertiary alkyl group of the above general formula (7), When there are a plurality of R1 groups, they may be the same or different.
In the above general formula (6), Y represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a nitro group or a cyano group. Preferred among these are a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom and a cyano group. More preferred are a halogen atom and a cyano group.
The subscripts k represents an integer of 0 to 5.
As specific examples of the phenyl or substituted phenyl group of the above general formula (6), there may be mentioned phenyl, pentafluorophenyl, p-methylphenyl, p-cyanophenyl and p-nitrophenyl, among others. Preferred are phenyl, pentafluorophenyl and p-cyanophenyl and more preferred are phenyl and pentafluorophenyl.
R4, R5 and R6 in the above general formula (7) each independently represents an alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms. Specifically, there may be mentioned methyl, ethyl, propyl and isopropyl, among others.
As specific examples of the above tertiary alkyl group of the general formula (7), there may be mentioned t-butyl and t-pentyl, among others.
In the present invention, said catalyst (c) specifically includes, among others, triphenylborane, diphenyl-t-butylborane, tri(t-butyl borane, triphenylaluminum, diphenyl-t-butylaluminum, tri(t-butyl)aluminum, tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane, bis(pentafluorophenyl)-t-butylborane, tris(pentafluorophenyl)aluminum, bis(pentafluorophenyl)-t-butylaluminum, bis(pentafluorophenyl)fluoroborane, di(t-butyl)fluoroborane, (pentafluorophenyl)difluoroborane, (t-butyl)difluoroborane, bis(pentafluoro-phenyl)fluoroaluminum, di (t-butyl)fluoroaluminum, (pentafluorophenyl)difluoroaluminum, (t-butyl)difluoroaluminum and the like. Preferred are triphenylborane, triphenylaluminum, tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane and tris(pentafluorophenyl)aluminum and more preferred are tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane and tris(pentafluorophenyl)aluminum.
The heterocyclic compound (d) to be subjected to addition reaction according to the present invention is represented by the above general formula (5). As specific examples of said heterocyclic compound (d), there may be mentioned, among others, cyclic ethers, such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, styrene oxide, oxetane and tetrahydrofuran; cyclic thioethers, such as ethylene sulfide; irnines, such as ethyleneimine; cyclic carbonates, such as ethylene carbonate; cyclic thiocarbonates, such as ethylene thiocarbonate; cyclic dithiocarbonates, such as ethylene dithiocarbonate; cyclic lactones, such as xcex5-caprolactone; and cyclic lactams, such as xcex5-caprolactam.
The molar value of the heterocyclic compound (d), which is to be subjected to addition reaction to the active hydrogen-containing compound (b) in the presence of the catalyst (c) to give a ring-opening polymerization product, is generally 1 to 200 moles, preferably 1 to 100 moles, per active hydrogen in the active hydrogen-containing compound (b). It is to be adequately selected according to the molecular weight of the ring-opening polymerization product to be prepared and to the intended use thereof.
The level of the catalyst (c) added is not critical but generally is 0.0001 to 10% by weight, preferably 0.001 to 1% by weight, relative to the ring-opening polymerization product to be produced.
It is advantageous to employ the catalyst (c) having a specific chemical structure with high steric hindrance as specified by the present invention, because this enables to reduce the quantity of catalyst very drastically as compared with the conventional alkali metal hydroxide and other alkali catalysts (generally used in an amount of 0.1 to 10% by weight).
In subjecting the heterocyclic compound (d) to addition reaction, all the three, namely the active hydrogen-containing compound (b), heterocyclic compound (d) and catalyst (c), may be charged at once, or the heterocyclic compound (d) may be added dropwise to a mixture of the active hydrogen-containing compound (b) and catalyst (c) to thereby effect the reaction, or the heterocyclic compound (d) and catalyst (c) may be added dropwise to the active hydrogen-containing compound (b) to thereby effect the reaction.
From the viewpoint of reaction temperature control, preferred is the method comprising adding the heterocyclic compound (d) dropwise to a mixture of the active hydrogen-containing compound (b) and catalyst (c), or adding the heterocyclic compound (d) and catalyst (c) dropwise to the active hydrogen-containing compound (b).
The reaction temperature at which the heterocyclic compound (d) is subjected to addition reaction to the active hydrogen-containing compound (b) is generally 0xc2x0 C. to 250xc2x0 C., preferably 20xc2x0 C. to 180xc2x0 C.
The ring-opening polymerization products prepared by the production method of the present invention generally have a number average molecular weight of 75 to 100,000, preferably 900 to 20,000. Said molecular weight is selected so that it may be suited for the intended use:. For instance, when thermosetting resins, for example polyurethane resins, is to be produced using polyol compositions comprising the polyoxyalkylene polyols as said ring-opening polymerization product, it is judiciously selected according to the physical characteristics required of the polyurethane resins.
The thus produced ring-opening polymerization product contains the catalyst (c). According to the use thereof, it may be treated to remove the catalyst (c).
The method of its removal treatment comprises adsorption treatment using an adsorbent such as a synthetic silicate (magnesium silicate, aluminum silicate or the like) or activated clay, or neutralization with a basic compound, for instance.
Even if remaining in the ring-opening polymerization product, the catalyst (c) of the present invention does not have any significant adverse effect on the reactivity of the polyol and isocyanate in the subsequent urethane formation reaction, for instance, as compared with the alkali catalysts in conventional use. From the viewpoint of coloration prevention, however, it is preferred that the residual catalyst be removed.
In particular when ring-opening polymerization products are prepared by subjecting heterocyclic compounds of the above general formula (5) in which Q is xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94and R is a divalent hydrocarbon group of the general formula (8) below, namely epoxy-containing compounds, to addition reaction to the active hydrogen-containing compound (b) in the presence of the catalyst (c) according to the present invention, the resulting polymers have a further marked structural characteristic, namely a proportion of terminal primary hydroxyl groups of not less than 40% and advantageously not less than 60%. 
In the above formula, R2 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms, which may be substituted by a halogen atom or atoms.
As specific examples of the above-mentioned epoxy-containing compounds, there may be mentioned propylene oxide, butylene oxide, laurylene oxide, epichlorohydrin, styrene oxide and the like. Two or more of these may be used in combination. Preferred among these are propylene oxide, butylene oxide, epichlorohydrin and styrene oxide.
According to its third aspect, the present invention consists in:
a polyol composition (III) for producing thermosetting resins, characterized by comprising the polyoxyalkylene polyol or monool (I) according to the first aspect of the present invention, or;
a polyol composition (II) for producing thermosetting resins, comprising the ring-opening polymerization product obtained according to the second aspect of the present invention. According to its fourth aspect, the present invention consists in a thermosetting resin characterized in that it is derived from said polyol composition (III) and/or said polyol composition (II). As said thermosetting resin, there may be mentioned polyurethane resins and epoxy resins, among others.
The polyurethane resin of the present invention is obtained by reacting the polyol composition (III) and/or polyol composition (II) with an aromatic isocyanate and/or aliphatic isocyanate (e), if necessary in combination with another polyol component, namely a low-molecular active hydrogen-containing compound (e.g. any of those mentioned as examples of the active hydrogen-containing compound in relation to the first aspect of the present invention).
By using, as the polyol components of polyurethane resins, the polyol composition (III) and/or polyol composition (II), which contains the polyoxyalkylene polyol (I) of the present invention as essential component, characteristic features are introduced that said polyol component is hydrophobic and highly reactive with isocyanate compounds.
Thus, urethane resins derived from the polyol composition (III) and/or polyol composition (II) of the present invention are characterized in that the reactivity with isocyanates is high in the step of production thereof, and that the humidity dependency of resin characteristics (tensile strength, elongation at break, bending strength, etc.) is low.
Furthermore, when such urethane resins are used as coating compositions, they have characteristic features that they are excellent in adhesion to polyolefin rubbers and polyolefin resins, for instance.
Said urethane resins can be used in various forms, such as urethane foams, urethane elastomers, urethane coating compositions and so on. As applications of urethane foams, there may be mentioned cushion materials for automobiles, backing materials for automobiles, and the like, and, as applications of the urethane elastomers, there may be mentioned casting potting materials and the like. As applications of the coating compositions, there may be mentioned adhesive or coating compositions or the like.